State of the countryside 2010 report now available for download

The Commission for Rural Communities has today published the ‘State of the Countryside 2010′ report. The report provides an up to date picture of rural England, with evidence of the circumstances of people living and working in rural areas drawn from analysis using the latest official statistics.

From the website:

The report provides a comprehensive picture and benchmark at a time of economic and political change. Amongst other things, it highlights the significant contribution that rural England can make in three critical areas:

Economic recovery – High levels of entrepreneurship and the apparent resilience to the recession shown by rural based businesses emphasise the potential for rural economies to make a substantial contribution to a national return to growth. This is particularly important given the scope for rural areas to provide new ‘green jobs’ for both rural and urban residents.

Building strong communities – Rural people have a strong sense of community. They are more likely to give unpaid help, to participate in local decision-making and to feel that people in their area share values and pull together, than people living in urban areas. This evidence indicates that rural people are in a strong position to respond positively to the new agenda around community-based activity and local empowerment.

Providing the natural resources needed by the whole country – Rural land is still required for its traditional use of food production in an era of increasing concern about availability of food supplies and increasing interest in the local sourcing of food. There is also a desire to improve environmental quality and opportunities for public enjoyment of the countryside and an imperative to mitigate climate change through developing renewable energy and bio-fuels.

For more information, and to download the report, please see the press notice on the CRC’s website.